Journo hacking issue was dealt with:Morrow

The head of the national broadband network doesn't recall the exact details of allegations the telco he previously managed hacked the phone of a journalist.

Bill Morrow appeared before a Senate committee on Monday and was quizzed about an admission by Vodafone Hutchison Australia that an employee illegally accessed the mobile phone records of Fairfax Media journalist Natalie O'Brien in 2011.

Asked repeatedly by Labor senator Stephen Conroy if he had reported the incident to police, Mr Morrow insisted the company took the proper steps and adequately dealt with the issue.

"I reported nothing to the police, senator, because I was not aware of any of the details," said Mr Morrow, who took over the telco in March 2012.

"It was appropriately dealt with."

Mr Morrow told the committee it should speak to Vodafone for further details.

Mr Morrow agreed it was "shocking" that a journalist's phone had been hacked.

"If there was any criminal activity that I was aware of I would have made sure that it was appropriately dealt with," he said.

Mr Morrow said Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull was not told about the incident prior to his appointment as NBN boss.

Mr Morrow later said he did not condone fraudulent activity.

"I think it is appalling for any of us to have our privacy breached," he told the committee.

It was a rogue case involving an employee who had been "properly dealt with".